Bangkok governor probes overpriced gym equipment purchases

[webfact]

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt acknowledged discovering unusual procurement patterns in gym equipment purchases for two sports centres managed by City Hall, with one treadmill costing as much as a car.

 

Chadchart addressed public concerns yesterday regarding the procurement for the sports centres at Waree Phirom Park in Khlong Sam Wa district and Wachirabenchathat Park (Suan Rod Fai) in Chatuchak district.

 

The 58 year old city chief committed to intensifying the investigation and taking legal action if officials were involved in any misconduct while assuring that the City Hall would maintain transparency in its administrative processes.

 

The issue came to light when the Strong Thailand Anti-Corruption Club made a Facebook post on the matter this Tuesday. The group claimed that the BMA spent approximately 10 million baht to procure 22 pieces of gym equipment for the two sports centres.

The prices of some items were significantly higher than the market rate, such as an electric treadmill costing 759,000 baht and a spinning bike priced at 484,000 baht.

 

The group also reported finding more irregular procurements at another seven sports centres, amounting to a total cost of 103.2 million baht.

 

Corruption investigation

 

In response, Chadchart stated that the BMA is collaborating with the State Audit Office (SAO) on the investigation while also conducting an internal probe led by its anti-corruption committee. He emphasised that the BMA has long implemented measures to prevent corruption in procurement.

 

Desired goods and services must first be approved by the Bangkok Metropolitan Council, consisting of 50 members. Every purchase must have a stated median price and can be viewed by the public via an online platform of the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand.

 

The governor assured that the BMA would expedite the investigation to restore public confidence.

 

The Deputy Permanent Secretary of the BMA, Somboon Homnan, mentioned that procurements are conducted through e-bidding. Regarding the gym equipment, he said the BMA had conducted surveys to determine average prices with three sports equipment distributors, as required by law.

 

Deputy Governor Sanon Wangsrangboon explained that the contractor who supplied the gym equipment to the BMA had been working with City Hall since March 2022, dating back to the tenure of the former governor, Police General Aswin Kwanmuang. He noted that a treadmill at that time was priced at around 600,000 baht.

 

The procurement agreement was signed in 2022 before the current administration assumed office in June of that year. However, Sanon clarified that neither the procurement nor its process was linked to the former governor. He added that the BMA would work closely with the SAO to provide necessary information, reported Bangkok Post.

 

by Ryan Turner

Image courtesy of The Nation

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-06-07

 

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[ezzra]

Rort the system by all means (like they all do anyway) but don't go all stupid about it and don't go crazy with the numbers, people are not idiots, someone might get unhappy about it... 

[bg53]

20 minutes ago, webfact said:

an electric treadmill costing 759,000 baht and a spinning bike priced at 484,000 baht

 

Training for the Olympics?

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

such as an electric treadmill costing 759,000

Why do they even need a treadmill?

There is a running track around the park.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The prices of some items were significantly higher than the market rate, such as an electric treadmill costing 759,000 baht and a spinning bike priced at 484,000 baht.

 

The group also reported finding more irregular procurements at another seven sports centres, amounting to a total cost of 103.2 million baht.

I bet someone is going half crown-sixpence at the moment....

[hotchilli]

50 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Why do they even need a treadmill?

There is a running track around the park.

PM2.5

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, bg53 said:

 

Training for the Olympics?

Saving for retirement?

[Tropicalevo]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

PM2.5

The gym is open at the sides. (Photo in the BP.)

[thailand49]

Just gym equipment!

 

Must have been purchased outside of usual  family member 🤑

[BangkokReady]

6 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Why do they even need a treadmill?

There is a running track around the park.

 

What's the track made out of?  Running on concrete is very bad for your knees.

[john donson]

gold (plated) equipment or a bit of the usual corruption...

 

AI not working in thailand, at least one thing would, looooooooooooooooool

 

who approves this crap and pay the bills blindly ?

 

[fondue zoo]

2 hours ago, john donson said:

who approves this crap and pay the bills blindly ?

 

 

I suspect everyone gets a little taste.